Comfort After the End
by JustSuperMione
Summary: Clark doesn't know why he's there but he has an better question for Lois: "When did you acquire my underwear?" Clois Veritas Missing Moment
1. Wet Clark

She sat in her apartment by the illuminated only by the street lights listening to the rain pour

Title: Comfort After the End: Veritas Missing Momen**t**  
Prompt: Veritas Last Scene  
Pairing: Clois  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Smallville is written by people with more power, and most stomach for Clana, than me.  
Warnings: DON'T read if you haven't seen Vertias. Wet Clark stripped to his undies… Strong Clois shipping.

Summary: Clark is upset about Lana. He doesn't know why he's there but he has a better question for Lois: When did you acquire my underwear?

**Comfort After the End**

**Veritas ****Missing Moment**

She sat in her apartment, wearing her favourite flannel PJ's, illuminated only by the street lights listening to the rain pour. She sat in her apartment, wearing her heart on her sleeve as she thought alone of _him_, holding a long cold cup of coffee in an oversized mug. She sat in her apartment, wearing an expression of concern her silently praying for _him_ to be alright.

The silence was broken by her phone next to her. She breathed in deeply to calm the emotions that she only let bubble to the surface during the dark lonely night.

'Chloe's at mine. She's finally asleep. Can't believe this! How's CK? Jimmy'

Lois sat in her apartment still shocked. Lana… Lana was… Lana was gone. She was trapped within her own body in a catatonic state. She hadn't gone to see her yet but Chloe had told her.

Told her how Clark had found her at home with a saucepan on and letting her flesh burn. Her brown doe eyes now pools of silver; unseeing the one's around her. Lois knew that Chloe had unexpressed theories. However, at this point, Lois wasn't worried about how it had happened; just on what effects it would have on those Lana had left behind.

The most surprising reaction was Kara. Instead of staying at the Kent farm, she'd gone back home to wherever it is her home before Smallville was.

After explaining the Lana goings on, Chloe had gone for a drive to clear her head and ended up at Jimmy's. Lois had been waiting up for her, she realised that there was no real need for her to keep her dark visual.

'How's CK?' echoed the question that Lois had been consumed by. Chloe had said that he'd got home to the farm and didn't want to be disturbed. Lois wasn't going to let him brood all alone for ever, but she knew he needed a little space.

She looked over at her clock and was surprised that it was three a.m. already. Stiffly she stood up and made her way to bed. Praying more that knowing sleep would find her. As she pasted the front door she heard a knock.

It was unnaturally soft, but she knew it was him.

Breathing in, to gain her composer, she opened the door cautiously.

"Hi" she said quietly. He looked awful. His hair was so wet; it stuck to his skull like it had been jelled; whipped back by his running. It was all whipped back except the one curl that proudly displayed itself in the middle of his forehead. She knew he always hid.

His clothes were drenched. His eyes had gone from blue surrounded by white to being surrounded red. The red had turned usually welcoming blue pools of light to a stormy colour that he knew echoed the despair he felt.

"I don't know why I'm here." He confessed not looking at her. He heart went out to him and she knew that this would be one of those rare occasions between the two that neither of them would be concealing their emotions. She breathed in and was surprised to find that she wasn't dreading being open with him.

"Would you like to come in? Or are you going home?" she enquired kindly.

"I don't know." He said dumbfounded.

"Ok, Smallville. I'll leave the door open and make a warm drink" she said leaving him in the threshold. She grabbed their favourite cups, got the milk from the fridge and poured it before placing them in the microwave for four minutes. All the time she felt like he was watching her.

She left the kitchen and passed him on her way to the bathroom. Nothing but his eyes had moved. He looked as confused and upset as ever. Lois knew Clark was a man of action so knew this statue state wouldn't last long. She grabbed the largest bath towel she had and still, she felt like he was watching her through the walls. Almost, as if he was afraid that she'd disappear or get hurt if he didn't keep watching her.

Carrying the big soft towel, she headed for her wardrobe and sighed heavily. She took out of a bag to the side her secret guilty stash; a plaid shirt, a white t-shirt, some men's boxers, some socks and Clarks signature jeans. Even though they were laundered, and therefore no longer smelt like him, having Clarks clothes in her wardrobe had given her an indescribable feeling.

"Why have you got my clothes, Lo?" Clark asked when he saw her walk towards him. She only smiled, uncharacteristically shyly in response as she continued towards the sofa. Then, as she'd expected, she heard him follow her.

He hadn't gotten two steps in when she said.

"Close the door Smallville. Were you born in a barn?"

"No, Lo. I was born in a crystal fortress on a planet called Krypton before it blew up and I was sent here to rule of people like _you_…" he said humourlessly.

"What..?" she said turning round after placing the clothes on the sofa. He opened his mouth then closed it again.

A nonverbal moment past between them: in which her eyes dared him to say what he had said again. But he didn't. Lois sighed and mumbled. "Smallville, you really pick the strangest times to be at your strangest."

"Why have you got my clothes Lo?" He walked toward her and stood with his arms folded, inches away from her.

They appeared to engage in a battle of wills; both daring the other to make the next move. He wanted to know and she wasn't sure she wanted to tell.

The microwave pinged, saving them from their stubbornness as she headed towards it. From the movement behind her, she could tell that he was looking between her and the clothes.

When she came back a moment later, after adding cinnamon syrup to the milk, she noticed unease had returned his eyes again.

"It's only warm milk and syrup in the microwave… It's safe. See it isn't burnt or anything th…"

Then, it struck her that before this had been Chloe and her apartment, it had been Lana's. It had been Lana's apartment when Clark's father was alive and they'd first gotten _'serious'_.

Her heart went out to him. He looked… more than sad… she searched for the right adjective and came to melancholy. She hated that that was a word that could be used to describe him; but melancholy was certainly what he was.

He was melancholy and wet. She knew she couldn't stop his melancholy mournful brooding. But she could do something about him being soaked to the bone.

'_Soaked to his Adonis like frame'_ she thought before internally reprimanding herself.

She placed the drinks down and took a deep breath. Reaching up, she grabbed his jacket and slid it off; hoping that he'd get the general idea. This movement surprised him. He looked down at her and caught her eye.

"Kick off your shoes and socks" she said calmly.

Her eyes, asked him to trust her, they stilled him: Stilled him for the first time since this awful day began. He nodded and did as she asked, placing his wet shoes and socks next to his jacket.

He then stood and let her begin to unbutton his shirt.

"If you must know" she said in a low voice trying to distract herself from her hormones that now raged. "The socks are yours from that night you stayed over after Ollie and I broke up… again... for good. How did you lose them here anyway?"

"Don't know" he emotionlessly said. "I slept on the couch and couldn't find them in the morning."

Her fingers accidentally lighting brushed his skin. There was an electricity surge between them before a pregnant pause.

"The shirt you… er… _left_ when you repaired my cable." He didn't need to monitor her heart beat to realise she wasn't being truthful.

"Left?" he questioned. "I looked for this" he said as his long muscled arms reached around her to get the shirt. Though she remained in place, she moved her body so he could get what he wanted without making contact with her. "For twenty minutes!" He heatedly started as he brandished the shirt in front of her. "Hey, this smells like you…" he stated in a totally different tone. They stood up straight as she grabbed the shirt and quickly returned it to the pile.

"Well, being a proper journalist means that _sometimes_ I run out of clothes before laundry day." She said as she finished unbuttoning him. "maybe if you ever left the farm for a proper city job you'd find the same was true. He was warm however he shivered as her hands unpeeled the shirt from his steel hard torso. She was surprised at how his body had found even more definition since she's last seen him topless.

Lois quickly picked up the towel and threw it around his shoulders not wanting to look at Clark like he was a piece of eye candy. Then her gaze shifted to his belt buckle.

He heard her gulp. He gulped too…

Then, her heart rate increased as her hands went for the buckle and undid it with ease. It was his turn to gulp and he look uncomfortable so started to pat his toned torso down.

"The t-shirt and jeans I 'borrowed'…" she carefully said as she started undoing his trousers. She didn't look up at him as he helped his trousers fall to the ground. He didn't say anything and she could feel that he was looking for her to continue.

"Fine, about a week before you fixed my satellite, I was heading out on assignment – I had to go undercover and needed your clothes to pull it off. I came to your house and I was going to call up but…" she edited herself there because he had sounded '_busy'_ with Lana and she knew that would be a bittersweet memory for him. "You were _busy_. So I took them out of the hamper and left."

She heard his breath catch and his felt his demeanour change.

"Step" she said in a small uncomfortable voice.

"What?" He asked in a daze.

"Step out of your trousers, Clark!" she said pointing. As he did as he was said she asked. "Can you please, take these wet clothes to the bathroom? Just put them in the bath. When you're there you'll find another towel, can you bring that through too"

"Lo… Why am I now in my underwear?" he asked as he picked up the clothes.

"Didn't want you to get sick…" she said plainly, picking up her cup and slipping its warm comforting content.

He headed for the bathroom door but stopped as he entered on hearing her leapt forward off the sofa quickly following in his wake.

"Smallville!" she said in a tone that he knew was semi-playful "I'm not in the mood for Clark Jr tonight so it might be best if you put these on in there." She stated placing his underwear and t-shirt on his shoulder. He turned round and looked her straight in the eye. She smiled and he rolled his eyes.

He lowered his head to her ears to say in a hushed tone millimetres from her skin.

"Lois is there ever going to be a time when you're in the mood for Clark Jr..?"

She tilled her head up to whisper into his ear.

"Why are asking? You should know the answer to that by now?" there was a sultry smile to her voice that made his heartbeat faster, while the world slowed down.

There was a minute when neither of them could bear to move. There breathing became united as they felt the heat rise between them. Then a question occurred to him.

"Lo… One other thing… When did you acquire my underwear?"

She stepped away and gave him one of _those_ all knowing Lois Lane smiles.

"That's for me to know Smallville…" she said punching his arm and heading back to the sofa with a spring in her step.

It was then that Clark wished that mind reading was a Kryptonian ability.

TBC


	2. Talking Sense

When he came back out of the bathroom, in his underwear and t-shirt, he looked upset again; like he regretted their innocent exchange

**Comfort After the End**

**Vertias Missing Moment **

**Part 2**

When Clark re-emerged, Lois glanced up at him, through her hair and gulped. She didn't gulp at his attire, because _thankfully_ he was wearing his underwear and t-shirt. She gulped because he looked upset again; she knew he regretted their _innocent_ exchange.

"Don't I need more clothes than this Lo?" the question was simple but its connotations seemed to create a gulf between them, as he walked over to her carrying the extra towel she'd asked for.

"I think it would be a bit uncomfortable for you to sleep in your jeans" she said with her hand held out. "Can I have the towel, please?"

Clark passed the towel and she patted the cushion to the side of her. He sat down wordlessly she moved and began to work. He sat there, in silence, as Lois towelled his hair dry. Silence unnaturally filled the space between them; couldn't even bare to look at her and Lois felt that most harshly.

"I know I should be upset about Lana." He finally said knowing that Lois needed conversation. "And I am… Don't get me wrong. Br… Fine did this to Lana... tested this… disease on her because of me."

"Why would he do that?" she asked sitting back to look at him; astonished at his declaration.

"I honestly don't know…" Clark sighed. "He's a… a…"

"-madman." Lois helpfully finished. Clark just nodded. "Do you realise that all these madmen get transfixed by you: Must be your dashing looks…" Clark looked at her suddenly interested. "Or that farm boy charm. But there's something else isn't there."

There was silence a gulfing silence between them again. But Lois fought with herself not to say anything, or try and badger it out of him.

He finally broke.

"I'm upset and shocked because I'm not as upset about Lana. I'm angry that this has happened. I know I should have been there. Should have known and prevented it."

"How Smallville?"

"I'd seen Fine earlier in the day and he said he wanted Kara… I should have known that Fine would have done something else. I should have warned her… Or been there."

"Well, where were you when Fine was infecting her?"

"I was looking for Fine before he did something…" Clark mumbled shifting in his seat.

"So this incident just proves that not even you can be everywhere." Lois sighed touching his hand. "_Clark_ welcome to the real world. I know you want to be everywhere and save everyone you care about. But it's physically _impossible_ for one person to be in more than one place at once. Even if you could… I dunno ran at superhuman speed could you be everywhere." She squeezed his hand and looked into his eyes. "What else?"

He was silent and so she began to dry him hair again.

"I'm upset and I don't know what to do… but I'm not as upset as I should be."

"That's because you have hope." Lois said stopping to look into his eyes unconsciously shifting closer. "Lana isn't dead. If the madman Fine created the virus, maybe he can create a cure. You've got hope, not just because you're a hopeful person. Therefore, you're sad but not devastated like I've seen you before…"

His mouth curled a little.

"How do you know me so well?"

"Dunno. It's a gift. You have the ability to brood, find plaid and run a farm single-handedly. I have the ability to create random metaphors, go between here and the Planet very quickly and read _you_ like a book."

He smiled at her again. Then, his eyes shifted and he grabbed his drink with his free hand. He gulped and she knew that he was considering his next move; whether to take his life in his hands and sample her cooking.

Then with courage as strong as newly forged steel, he slipped. He smiled. Then he downed it. Looked at her, his eyes danced and she knew he was surprised at how nice the milk she made him was. She couldn't help but feel proud of herself. Then, suddenly, the storm clouds began to gather in Clarks eyes again.

"But there's more to this than just Fine isn't there. I can tell Smallville." She reached out and touched his hand.

They were gulfed in silence for a while and she knew he'd speak.

"Christmas tree light –" Clark sighed.

"Christmas tree lights?"

"My relationship with Lana is like a Christmas tree lights." Clark sighed miserably. "You know at Christmas when you really want to feel the Christmas spirit you put up Christmas lights. I look forward to them so much because it's a sign that the holiday seasons here. We always buy new ones because you can never have too many…"

Her eye roll was framed by the adoring look on her face; only Smallville could love Christmas and Christmas lights so much.

"It's like putting up your Christmas lights and arrange them and put them in and then… nothing… you go through sting making sure all the bulbs are alright. Think you've sorted the problem. Try again, nothing and again… there's still nothing." He finished and he looked expectantly at Lois like that should have explained it all.

"My relationship with Lana has been like Christmas lights. I spent up until the end of High School dreaming about what a relationship with Lana would be like; brilliant and fully of electricity. We spent four years dancing around it then the first time we tried it, it didn't work out. Then, a few months ago, when she came back from being dead… We started again and… it's still didn't work."

He felt antsy and needed to pace. Suddenly, even though Lois missed the feel of his hand, she felt like they were getting somewhere.

"I wanted Lana and me to work Lo; more than anything. We should have worked. Like everyone expected… We're like Ken and Barbie of Kansas. And we loved each other. I've changed time for her. My father died because of her."

"What?"

"My dad. If Lana prioritising Lex over our… my family… Leaving to speak to a drunk Lex, instead of being with us celebrating. We'd have been together when he had his heart attack. He should have been surrounded by friends, family and help! I thought it was my fault. That it was me that was the problem"

"Then, she betrayed _me_… Everything she said about _us_… She married Lex. How could she do that? She knew what he was but married him anyway… She should have told me about being blackmailed by Lionel to marry Lex." He was still pacing and he ran his fingers through his thick black hair.

"Then she came back and divorced Lex we gave it another go. The reason I thought we'd failed before was gone. She knew… Knew I was _serious_ about us but it didn't work."

He wanted to talk about this so much with Lois that his mind fabricated a story on the spot.

"I mean just after Kara went missing I went looking for her. I was gone for over a month. Chloe knew I was out looking. So I went off looking everywhere, communicating only with Lana via email and when I was gone I was replaced."

Lois shot up and stood in front of him.

"Replaced?"

"Someone pretended to be me." He said getting madder as he was finally airing all the things he'd been bottling up. "He must have deleted the messages I sent…"

She grabbed his shoulders to stop him.

"But how were you replaced?"

"Lois, we live in Smallville…" he said passionately hoping that would be enough of an explanation. Lois shrugged, smiled and nodded for him to continue.

"Anyway, this replacement… Lana didn't know it wasn't me! And she was happier with him. They slept together; lived in my home. The home my parents lived in, where we lived together." He said stopping to look at her before pointedly explaining. "And didn't realise it was me and now every time I see her…"

Lois suddenly felt the need to sit; so shocked was she by Clarks inner turmoil.

"You feel betrayed that the one person that should have known you didn't notice it wasn't you… Not to mention the fact that she cheated on you…"

Clark sat down shaking with frustration. Lois released just how much of his life she's missed while concentrating on her new job and relationships.

"She said she thought, I thought she should be perfect. That I'd put her on this pedestal."

"Well…"

"Don't tell me you, of all people, agree with _her_."

"I will be washing my mouth out later but I agree with her."

Lois paused and thought; _'time to use his metaphor.' _

"You know why so many people are depressed and stressed over Christmas, Smallville..?" He looked at her with those puppy dog eyes but she continued all the same. "Because… they watch too much TV, see too many movies, are brainwashed by too many adverts. They have this vision of the perfect Christmas. So whatever kind of Christmas they have… no matter how many boxes of Christmas lights they string up. They're comparing their Christmas to make-believe… comparing it to a dream that it can never live up to."

"So" he said getting to his feet again. "You believe her!"

"It isn't about me believing her compared with me believing you." She said standing up and poking his chest. "She should have known that the impostor wasn't you. But Clark sometimes… you act like a different person… We ALL have done." Lois sighed and crossed her arms.

"Maybe this impostor… that no doubt looked and talked liked you, offered her a different side of you. The softer more devoted side." Lois said standing her ground even though Clarks blue eyes gazed intensely into her soul. "You said it yourself. You felt betrayed by Lana marrying Lex: even though she had her reasons. When I first met you, you had her on the same kind of pedestal that she had you on. This impostor must have given her what you hadn't for a long time."

"And what was that?" He asked hotly.

"Able to look at her and adore her like you had forgotten her misdeeds." She pointed her finger in the middle of his broad chest. "Like time reversed and her mistakes hadn't happened. So she purposely overlooked the things that weren't you… allowed herself to be fooled because she wanted fairly light… The make believe version of you, the man she loved rather than he broody version."

She sat down, crossing her arms and her legs. Her heart suddenly felt heavy. She wouldn't have minded the less broody version of Clark right about now as well.

"And what's wrong with that?" she muttered.

Clark sat down and felt uncomfortable. Since the whole Valentines incident, this was the longest they'd spent together. There was silence until Lois gained her courage, swallowed her pride and asked the tough question.

"Smallville. Why have you been avoiding me?"

"Me avoiding you: you've avoiding me?"

"Me! I've been living life in the present… working. Trying to be the best journalist I can be. Asking the tough questions, following leads, fighting for truth, justice and other stuff with only my trusty computer…"

"And the worlds best spell check and editors…"

"Yeah well…" she signed.

"I haven't been intentionally avoiding you ok? You've been busy and so have I." Clark breathed in and prepared for the big confession. "One of the reasons I've not seen you is Lana?"

"Keeping you that busy was she?"

"No!" she said blushing. "It's just Lana used to get kind of put out when you were around."

"What? Why?"

"Because… Well… To be honest she's always been threatened by you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really first time she saw us together. And she was with Jason; she said that she thought we were _together_…" That memory, so clear and strong suddenly got him and he couldn't control himself any longer.

There was a long pause.

"I'm so sorry" she whispered as he crumpled into her open arms. "I know that this probably isn't the time. But if anyone can find away to help Lana, it's you. And if you need any help you've always got Chloe and me."

There they sat as he wept for the girl he loved and his lost youthful dream. He curled up on the sofa until his head dropped and rested on her knee. As time went by his sobs subsided and a little while later she realised that he had gone to sleep.

She tried to move him so that but soon realised that she was too heavy for her. Shifting her position so her head rested on him; she grabbed a blanket that was draped within reach.

"You better not ever mention this again Smallville". She whispered as she allowed her eyes to close and drink in his heady masculine scent.

Her last conscious thought was how safe she was. And then they were both asleep.

The next morning as Chloe walked into her apartment the first thing that caught her eye was Clark's boots next to the sofa. At least that's what she thought she saw because within a blink of an eye they were gone with a sudden, yet familiar gust of wind. As she got further into the apartment she noticed Lois lying in her bed waking up reaching for a warm mug of coffee.

"Morning" Chloe said brightly. Then, she breathed in trying to think what to say next. As she did, she felt the distinct scent of Clark Kent. She looked around for any further evidence of her friend. Then, Chloe looked back over to Lois in time to see her hid a post-it-note. She pretended not to notice.

"Hey cous how's you?" Lois said opening her arms. Chloe ran into them and they held each other close.

"I'll be fine I'm just worried about…"

"Smallville…" Chloe could feel Lois nod and shift slightly. "He'll be fine. He's stronger than he thinks… And for everything else he has m… us." she said then she kissed her head and looked over to the clock.

"Wow is that the time I have to motor to work. My half of the rent doesn't pay for itself." She said leaping out of bed and heading for the bathroom.

Through the bathroom wall Chloe heard the shower go and seized the moment. Throwing the covers off the bed she found the crumpled up post-it-note and read:

'_Thanks for last night._

_X'_

It was in Clark's familiar hand and she couldn't help but fell curious about what did happen. Chloe smiled as she replaced note under the covers and made the bed it.

Then she said to herself, after vowing to find out what happened from Clark sometime in the future.

"Yes Lo… Clark is strong but it seems for everything else he needs, wants and has you."


End file.
